Kolkata: The state Environment department is laying special emphasis on creating awareness among people so that they register their complaints if they find any person in his locality bursting fire crackers during Kali Puja and Diwali this year.
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday had ordered a ban on buying , selling and bursting of all kinds of crackers for Kali Puja, Diwali, and Chhatpuja in Bengal, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
" We will be taking up awareness through all possible means so that the common people can come forward with complaints of bursting any sort of fire crackers at the helpline number of the state Pollution Control Board and the Paribesh app. There will also be strict vigilance to ensure that the high court ban is implemented to the best of our ability, " said Saumen Mahapatra, state Environment minister.
The state Pollution Control Board (PCB) will be organizing virtual meetings with students, doctor's forum ,apartment associations among others and will urge them to lodge complaints if they find any person involved in buying, selling or bursting of fire crackers. People can also send pictures of such activities through the Paribesh app and the state PCB will immediately inform the local police station so that strong action can be taken against the offender. People can also lodge complaints with the local police station and if anybody wants his/ her identity will be kept secret. The social networking sites of the state PCB as well as the police will be used for such awareness.
The state PCB will also hold coordination meeting with the state police as well as Kolkata Police to strengthen vigil so that nobody flouts the order of the Calcutta High Court.
The Calcutta High Court however has not imposed any restriction on sending of fire crackers to neighbouring states. So when the police detain any vehicle with fire cracker and the driver claims that the crackers are being taken to other states , the former will ask for furnishing documents to substantiate the claim.
" A case against bursting of fire crackers amidst COVID pandemic is going on at the National Green Tribunal. We are waiting whether the green bench imposed any restriction against export of crackers.
The police has started conducting naka checking at different locations in sensitive areas.